Trump, May and that sinking feeling - what can we do?

Brexit, then Trump, and now the 'ban'. If you have a sinking feeling about all this, you're not alone. But if you're like me, then you possibly have a tendency to bury your head in the sand about politics, feeling like it's all too overwhelming, we can't do anything about any of it, and it's easier just to concentrate on Netflix or indeed the important things that consume so much of our energy - our jobs, our kids, our homes, our partners. I know I've scrolled past videos of Syrian refugees because my emotional reserves are empty after a tough day with the kids and I just feel like I can't deal with it. 

But recently I've been thinking about what happened in the past and what lessons we're supposed to have learned from history. I'm pretty sure the people who lived in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s were people like you and me. People who had been through a huge financial depression, who were scared and worried, whose energy was being consumed by their kids and jobs and homes and husbands and wives, and who just didn't see it coming until it was too late.

I'm aware that I'm going to alienate a few people even by drawing a comparison between what's happening now in the US and what happened under Hitler, but I'm going to take that risk because as this guy on Twitter puts it:

Or as Edmund Burke said:

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

So, what can we do? What can YOU do?

1) Write to your MP. Write and urge them that Theresa May and the government should be opposing this ban by Trump. Google their name and 'contact' and it should come straight up. Don't be put off by feeling like you don't know enough. You know enough to say something and they have to listen to you.

2) Write to the Prime Minister. Here's the link. https://email.number10.gov.uk/ (NB: after you've sent it, they will send you an email and you need to click on the link in that email to confirm it.)

3) Support refugees. Find the nearest refugee donation points and drop stuff off, donate money to agencies. Here is a list of agencies that is helpful: https://twitter.com/trillingual/status/825337001331261440

4) Go on demonstrations and marches. There is a huge sense of solidarity and a buzz that comes from joining on these. I have been on many and it's a great way of expressing yourself along with many others who you may disagree with over some things, but can unite with on this. And it is a very visual and obvious way of protesting against what is happening, that hopefully the powers that be will take into account. There are many going on tonight all over the country - search for 'demo trump [area]' and it should come up either on Facebook or Google.

5) Sign a petition. Read carefully before you sign and check you agree!

6) Engage. Discuss. Let's educate ourselves and each other. 

Please leave comments with any other helpful suggestions.